By Justin Ruderman
Querétaro will look to play spoiler in their final Leagues Cup 2025 match as they take on a Real Salt Lake in a must-win situation. The Claret & Cobalt will need a win and lots of help to advance, but with stars like Diego Luna leading the charge anything can happen.
HEAD TO HEAD
- 1st ever meeting
- Record at Leagues Cup: Real Salt Lake (4-4), Querétaro (3-6)
LAST FIVE GAMES
- Real Salt Lake
- 2 Wins, 2 Draws, 1 Loss
- Both games this tournament have gone to penalty kicks (1 win and 1 loss)
- Querétaro
- 0 Wins, 0 Draws, 5 Losses
- Eliminated from contention following losses to Minnesota and Portland
MAIN STORYLINES
- Real Salt Lake sit 10th in the MLS Phase One table on three points after two matches. Can the Claret & Cobalt produce a win (and get some help) to sneak into their first Leagues Cup quarterfinal since 2019?
- Real Salt Lake added their newest Designated Player striker to the roster this week with the signing of Rwan Cruz on loan from Botafogo. We might be lucky enough to see the 24-year-old Brazilian debut on Wednesday night.
- Querétaro have been eliminated from Leagues Cup 2025 with two consecutive losses. Los Gallos Blancos are last in the LIGA MX Phase One table, as they are in the LIGA MX Apertura table, still searching for their first point of the season.
- Querétaro is currently on a 5-game losing streak, their longest since Jan.-Feb. 2019; they have been outscored 5-1 in Leagues Cup, and 11-2 overall during their 5-game losing streak.
KEY FACTORS
- Real Salt Lake
- Reigning MLS Young Player of the Year, Diego Luna, has broken out with the U.S. men’s national team this season while remaining RSL’s top goal contributor (8 goals and 4 assissts). The 21-year-old midfielder constantly wreaks havoc on opposition defenses.
- No matter which combination of Pablo Ruíz, Braian Ojeda and Emeka Eneli make up Real Salt Lake’s double pivot in midfield, the pair will be integral to any Claret & Cobalt success in every phase of play. Including his brace against San Luis, Ojeda has three goals in his last three RSL matches.
- Querétaro are in a poor run of form with only pride to play for. Can Real Salt Lake take advantage by scoring early to create a mental edge.
- Querétaro
- Offseason acquisition Jhojan Julio scored the only Gallos Blancos goal in Leagues Cup thus far this season for his first at the club. Can the Ecuadorian international also lead Querétaro to their point of the season?
- Former MLSer Lucas Rodriguez wears the No. 10 for Querétaro as their main creative threat. Can the Argentinian conjure his first Leagues Cup goal contribution?
WHAT TO EXPECT
Some may overlook a Querétaro team yet to earn a point this season, but Real Salt Lake manager Pablo Mastroeni — a coach and former player who has experienced the USA vs. Mexico rivalry at both the club and international levels — knows better.
“The one thing is that these games are crazy games,” Mastroeni said of the Leagues Cup. “Whether it’s penalty shootouts, whether it’s last-minute goals as we conceded against América, these games are played for 90-plus minutes.”
And the final matches of any tournament’s opening phase only ramp up the pressure and drama.
The Claret & Cobalt no longer control their own destiny. They’ll need a win — and help elsewhere — to reach the knockout rounds. But chasing unlikely qualification in front of their home fans is the kind of cinematic setup that makes for a memorable night.
Playing spoiler to that story would be the most satisfying ending Querétaro could hope for. As a proud LIGA MX rival, Los Gallos Blancos could ride that momentum straight into the Apertura season with renewed confidence.
